Blinkered Ballinrobe-winner lands the Yeats Stakes Carmers took the giant leap from his debut Ballinrobe success eight days ago to scoring at Listed level today, landing Navan’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF Yeats Stakes, with trainer Paddy Twomey now targetting Royal Ascot. The son of Wootton Bassett wore blinkers when scoring at big odds of 10/1 at Ballinrobe on May 8 but today started the heavily-supported 6/4 favourite. Taking the higher grade in his stride, Carmers produced a fine staying effort to beat What’s Your Game by three lengths - giving jockey Billy Lee a double. Twomey reported “I was very happy with the way he did it in Ballinrobe. He's a horse that just does what he has to do, hence he wears headgear. I thought he would run a good race in Ballinrobe and thought he would finish the race well but he surprised me with how well he won: Donagh (O'Connor, jockey then) said he had to go down the back straight to pull him up. "He came home, licked the pot, rode out this week, didn't care, and as the week went on, it became clear that he was ready to go.” He added “we were keen to get a lead, we knew we'd stay and while ordinarily we might have made the running, I don't think likes being in front too long. When he went to the front, to be fair to him, he picked up and rallied. He's keeping plenty for himself so I'd say there's plenty in him. "The Queen's Vase in Royal Ascot is probably the right race for him: he's a stayer and has enough experience to go to a race like that. "I was thrilled when Fiona (Carmichael, Carmers’ owner) asked us to train for her and she kindly sent me this horse. She has been very patient with me.” Quotes from Michael Graham
